OLIVER, Lord Protector of the Common-wealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and the Do­minions thereto belonging, To Our Trusty and Welbeloved Ralph Hall, Peter Elliston of Grays Inn, in our County of Middlesex, John Grif­fith, Edward Carey, John Wilsby, William Bridges, and Na­thanael Stirrup, Esquires; Greeting.

Whereas, We have been informed, That several Manors, Lands, Tenements, Rents, Arrears of Rents, Debts, Duties, Goods, Chattels, Moneys, Plate, and Jewels, and other things to a very great value, belonging unto Us, in Right of the Com­mon weal [...]h, are by Fraud, Collusion, or otherwise, unjustly concealed or detained, to the prejudice of the State, and great Diminution of the Publick Revenue;

Whereupon severall persons wel-affected to the Common­wealth, and to Our Sevice, are able, ready, and willing, to discover divers and sundry Manors, Lands, Tenements, Rents, Arrears of Rents, Debts, Duties, Goods, and Chattels, Moneys, Plate, and Jewels, and other things so belonging un­to Us (not pa [...]doned) and unjustly concealed, or detained as aforesaid; if some more speedy and lesse chargeable way, and course, then by Bills or Informations in Our Court of Exche­quer, were found out and d [...]rected, for proving and making good such the r Discoveries, and they assured to receive some competent Reward and Recompence, for their service, pains, and charges therein.

And We being willing, that such Persons may receive all due, and fitting encouragement in a work and service, so ad­van [...]agious to the Commonwealth, and that they or others, whom it may concern (except onely such persons as shall prove very obstinate and refractory) may not be troubled with long and chargable Sutes, upon Bills or Informations to be exhibited in Our said Court of Exchequer, for discovering such Manors, Lands, Tenements, Rents and other the premisses belonging unto us (not pardoned) unjustly concealed or de­tained [Page 4] as aforesaid: But that the same may more speedily be seised into Our Hands, and duly charged in the great Roll of of the Pipe, in Our said Exchequer; Know ye therefore, That We for the better effecting of this Our Service, have nominated, constituted and appointed, and by these presents do nominate, constitute, and appoint you the said Ralph Hall, Peter Elliston, John Griffith, Edward Carey, John Wilsby, William Bridges, and Nath. Stirrup, to be our Commissioners.

And We do by these presents, impower, authorise, and appoint you, or any four or more of you, to receive for, and on Our behalf, all such Informations as shall by any person or persons, be exhibited before you, touching or any way concerning any Manors, Lands, Tenements, Rents, Arrears of Rents, Debts, Duties, Moneys, Plate, Jewels, Goods, Chattels, or other things so belonging unto Us (and not par­doned) which are unjustly concealed or detained as aforesaid; and by all such good and lawful ways and means as to you, or any four or more of you shall seem meet; to send for any Persons, Parties, Witnesses, Records, Accompts, Books and Writings whatsoever.

Provided always, and Our Will and Pleasure is, That be­fore any person or persons shall be molested or summoned upon any such Information or Informations, the person or persons so informing, shall give such good Security with Sureties, as by you, Our said Commissioners, or any four or more of you, shall be allowed and approved of, to prove and make good such, his or their Information or Informations, or else to pay such reasonable Costs and Damages unto the party or parties, so molested or summoned, as you Our said Com­missioners, or any four or more of you, shall award.

And if upon any such Information, Examination and En­quiry, and full hearing of the Parties concerned, and mature considerati [...]n had of the whole matter, it shall appear unto you, Our said Commissioners, or any four or more of you, That any such Lands, Tenements, Rents, Arrears of Rents, Debts, Duties, Moneys, Goods, Chattels, Pla [...]e, Jewels, or other things, so belonging unto Us, in Right of the Com­monwealth, [Page 5] (and not heretofore pardoned) are unjustly con­cealed or detained as aforesaid; then Our Will and Pleasure is, That you Our said Commissioners, or any four or more of you, shall forthwith from time to time, under your Hands and Seals, certifie all such Manors, Lands, Tenements, Rents, Arrears of Rents, Debts, Duties, Moneys, Goods, Chattels, Plate, Jewels, and other things so discovered, together with the whole matter touching such D [...]scovery o [...] D [...]scoveries, un­to Our Commissioners of Our Treasury, for the time being; to the end. The said Comm [...]ssioners of Our Treasury, may forthwith cause the premisses by Proces out of Our said Court of Exchequer, to be duly seised into Our Hands, and to that purpose put in charge in the great Roll, of the Pipe there.

And that this Our present Commission may be the better, and more eff [...]ctually executed, and with less charge and ex­pence unto the persons so discovering, without delay, Our further Will and Pleasure is, That there be a Register attend­ing you Our said Commissioners in this Our Service: And We conceiving Our welbeloved Ferdinando Parkhu [...]st Gen­tleman, to be a fit person for that purpose, have nominated, constituted, and appointed; and by these presents do nomi­nate, const tute, and appoint him the said Fe dinando Parkhurst, to be Register to you Our said Commissioners for this Service.

And We do likewise by these presents, constitute, and ap­point, Our welbeloved Richard Hatter, Gentleman, to be Assistant unto the said Ferdinando Parkhurst, in the said busi­ness and employment; who shall have and receive such com­petent yearly Sallaries and Allowances, as We shall think fit to allow and appoint unto them, the same to be paid unto them, and either of them respectively at the Receipt of Our Exchequer quarterly, by even portions; so long as they, and either of them shall continue in the employment aforesaid And therefore We Will, and do hereby Declare Our Plea­sure to be, That they the said Ferdinando Parkhurst and Ri­chard Hatter, or either of them, shall not take any other Fee or Fees, of any person or persons, so informing as aforesaid, or of any other person or persons whatsoever, Except onely [Page] such smal Fees for writing, as by you, Our said Commissioners, or any four or more of you, shall be limitted and appointed.

And We Will, and by these presents do require you Our said Commissioners, That you or any four or more of you shall meet upon Monday, the Six and twentieth day of May instant, next ensuing the date hereof, by nine of the Clock in the Morning, at Worcester-house in the Strand, in Our Coun­ty of Middlesex in some convenient Room there, to be ap­pointed for that purpose, then and there, to enter upon the Execution of this Our Commission; and so to proceed there­in, and to sit from day to day, or at least three days in every week, for the space of one whole year, from the date of this Our present Commission, or till We shall signifie Our Plea­sure to the contrary.

And to the end, that ample Encouragement, Reward, and Recompence maybe given unto all such persons, as have made or shall hereafter make any Discovery of any such Manors, L [...]nds, Tenements, Rents, Moneys, Plate, Jewels, or other the premisses so belonging to Us, and not pardoned, but con­cealed, or detained as aforesaid. We do by these presents De­clare Our further Will and Pleasure to be, and do hereby with the Advice and Consent of Our Council, Grant, That all and every person and persons, who before the Commissi­oners of, and for Our Treasury, have already discovered, or upon any Information or Informations to be exhibited be­fore you Our said Commissioners herein before named, or any four or more of you, shall discover, or upon any Bill or Infor­mation, exhibited or to be exh bited in Our said Court of Exchequer, [...]ath or have discovered, or shall hereafter discover any such M [...]nors, Lands, Tenements, Moneys, Plate, Jewels, or other the premisses so belonging to Us, and not pardoned, but unjustly concealed or de­tained as aforesaid: And the respective Heirs, Executor [...], Admini­strators, and Assigns, of all and every such person and persons so dis­covering, shall from time to time, and at all times, have and enjoy to their own use and behoof, one full fifth part, or so much more as the said Commissioners of Our Treasury, for the time being, shall think fi [...] to allow, of all annual and other sum and sums of Money, which shall be paid into the Receipt of Our Exchequer, upon any such Dis­ [...] [...]

And if any person or persons being seised or possessed of any such Manors, Lands, Rents, Moneys, Plate, Jewels, Goods or Chattels, or owing any such Arrears of Rents, Debts and Duties, so belonging un­to Us, and not pardoned, but unjustly concealed or detained as afore­said, shall voluntarily first discover the same unto the said Commissi­oners of Our Treasury, for the time being, before any such Discovery thereof made as aforesaid, and shall submit unto such Orders and Directions as shall by the Commissioners of Our Treasury be given; for the more speedy seising into Our Hands, and due charging in the great Roll of the Pipe aforesaid, all such Manors, Lands, Tenements, Rents, Arrears of Rents, Debts, Duties, Goods and Chattels, so vo­luntarily discovered as aforesaid, then, and in such case onely, We Will, That such person or persons so voluntarily discovering, and his, her, and their respective Heirs, Executors, Adminstrators and As­signes, shall from time to time, and at all times, have and enjoy to their own use and behoof, one full fift part, or so much more as the Commissioners of Our Treasury shall think fit to allow, of all an­nual or other sum or sums of money, which shall be paid into the Receipt of Our Exchequer, upon such voluntary Discovery or Dis­coveries of any such Manors, Lands, Tenements, Goods, Chattels, or other the premisses; and shall likewise have allowance, deduction, de­falcation, and retainer to him, her, or themselves, of one full fift part, or of so much more, as the Commissioners of Our Treasury shall think fit to allow of all such Arrears of Rents; Debts, Du­ties, sums of Money, Plate and Jewels, so voluntarily discovered, to be in his, her, or their possession, or by him, her, or them, owing, concealed, or detained as aforesaid: And such person and persons so voluntarily discovering as aforesaid, shall likewise have Our Free and Gracious Pardon, for such his, her, and their former concealments thereof.

And Our further Will and Pleasure is, and We do hereby Declare the same to be, That if any person or persons, having compounded, and having any Manors, Lands, Tenements, Rents, Arrears of Rents, Debts, Duties, Moneys, Plate, Jewels, Goods or Chattels, omitted out of his, her, or their Composition or Compositions, not pardoned, but unjustly concealed or detained as aforesaid, or being now under Sequestration for Delinquency or Recusancy, and having any Manors Lands, Tenements, Rents, Arrears of Rents, Debts, Duties, Moneys Plate, Jewels Goods or Chattels, not sequestred, nor pardoned, but concealed or detained as aforesaid, or being comprised in any Act for sale; and having any Copihold or Customary Land, or Arrears of Rents; Debts; Duties, Goods or Chattels, not sequestred nor pardon­ed, [Page] but concealed, or detained as aforesaid; do and shall, before any such Discovery thereof made as aforesaid, Petition the Commission­ers of Our Treasury, for the time being; to be admitted to compound for the same; then We do hereby Will and Authorise the said Com­missioners of our Treasury, that in such case, They compound with such person or persons so Petitioning, after the rate of one fourth part of the value of such Manors, Lands, Tenements, Rents, Arrears of Rents, Debts, Duties, Moneys, Goods and Chattels, respectively. And further, We do by these presents, Declare and Grant, by and with the Advice and Consent of Our Council, That all and every per­son and persons who shall so Compound as aforesaid, and after sub­mit unto such Orders and Directions, as by the said Commissioners of Our Treasury shall be given for duly charging such sum or sums of money, as shall be due and owing upon such Composition or Com­positions in the great Roll of the Pipe, and shall duly pay the same into the Receipt of Our said Exchequer; and the Heirs, Executors, Administrators and Assignes of such person and persons, so com­pounding, submitting, and paying, shall and may peaceably hold and enjoy all such Manors, Land, Tenements, Rents, Arrears of Rents, Debts, Duties, Goods and Chattels, so compounded for, free and clear of, and from any Seisure, Sequestration, or Molestation whatsoever, any thing in this our present Commission, or otherwise to the contrary notwithstanding.

And to the end, that such competent Sallaries as aforesaid, to be allowed to the Register, and his Assistant, before in these presents named; as also the fifths and other sums of Money before mention­ed, may be duly paid, and the Allowances, Defalcations and Compo­sitions aforesaid made, according to the tenor and true meaning of this Our Commission, We have by Our Letters of Privy Seal, bear­ing even date with these presents, given full Warrant and Authority in that behalf, to the said Commissioners of, and for Our Treasury to allow and pay the same accordingly.

And the better to enable you Our said Commissioners, to carry on the Service aforesaid with effect, We do by these presents Impower and Authorise you, or any four or more of you, in all Cases, Matters, and things touching and concerning the Premisses, to examine Wit­nesses upon Oath, or otherwise: Which Oath, We do hereby Au­thorise you, or any four or more of you to administer.

And lastly, We Will and Require you, Our said Commissioners to observe and pursue such Rules and Instructions concerning the Ma­nagement of our said Service, as you shall from time to time, and at all times hereafter, receive from U [...], by and with the Advice of Our Council.